violence

Over the weekend I got the new Paste magazine in the mail and its an issue on violence. Violence in video games, movies, music, comedy, books, and the church among other things. Some of it was pretty hard to read but the articles really made you think. What's up with all the violence portrayed everywhere? There are/were photographers famous for taking photographs of murders. Some of the more disturbing shots (too me) were not the photos of the murders but the photos of the peoples reaction around the murder. And honestly, I am not what my reaction would be if I came across a murder scene. We see so much violence in movies, TV, ect that I doubt I'd think it was real. And from the pictures I've seen of actual murders, most of them are pretty tame compared to whats on TV.

The article on video games was good too. I know boys have some kind of weird wiring that makes them want to conquer and destroy things, so I kindof get the war and violent video game thing. But for the most part I don't see it as a good or healthy outlet, esp for young boys. The games are so realistic now that even the military uses them to train soldiers with. The article mentions how games like "America's Army" (which was created by the US govt) "are so good at indoctrinating players with values prized by the military: discipline, conformity, obedience and a willingness to repeatedly preform arcane tasks to minute specifications." I hadn't really thought of it like that.

And then there was an article on comedy and the violence in slapstick comedy. How we laugh when a character gets hurt or attacked. For most of us we were introduced to it at a young age watching Wille Coyote. I actually never thought that show was funny, seriously. I have trouble with Seinfeld too b/c nothing ever turns out right (or my idea of right). I get so stressed out watching stuff like that.

I know this blog is all over the place but its late and I am getting tired. I'll leave you with a few quotes I thought were interesting:

"I completely understand why people resort to violence, it's like, if you don't have the language and the capacity to formulate thoughts about what you are feeling, you can't properly feel it, so you have to physically feel it."

"We are afraid of pain or assault b/c we associate it with instant closure."

"She discussed her fascination with the more gruesome things on TV. 'Look at Law & Order SVU. I love that show. It's the most depraved thing - every week a new story line about a sick bastard who tortures children.'"

"And ofcourse, she saw churches - at the center of every one, a man being tortured to death."


And one last thought that kindof goes against this post. Did you read the news story about the dad that heard a noise in his teenage daughters room, opens the door to see a naked guy he didn't know (who happened to be his daughters boyfriend who the dad wasn't even aware of), so the dad beats the boy out of the house with a pipe and is now facing criminal charges. I am sad the boy was injured but if I was that dad I'd have probably done the same thing. A naked stranger in my daughters room should expect to get his ass kicked. So, the lesson here, kids, is introduce your boyfriends to your dad before you invite them over in the middle of the night for "activity."

ok, I am going to bed now. Alone. :0)~